Gut microbiota-driven pathogenic Th17 cells mediated autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a mouse model of colitis

Summary: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is linked to male fertility disorders, yet the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis remains underexplored. Here, we investigated how dysbiosis contributes to autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a colitis mouse model induced by CD4+ T cell transfer. We transferred w...

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Main Authors: Qunxiong Zeng, Jin-Chuan Liu, Chen Yang, Minmin Lyu, Dongliang Li, William S.B. Yeung, Philip C.N. Chiu, Tao Zhang, Yong-Gang Duan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:iScience
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225007692
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author Qunxiong Zeng
Jin-Chuan Liu
Chen Yang
Minmin Lyu
Dongliang Li
William S.B. Yeung
Philip C.N. Chiu
Tao Zhang
Yong-Gang Duan
author_facet Qunxiong Zeng
Jin-Chuan Liu
Chen Yang
Minmin Lyu
Dongliang Li
William S.B. Yeung
Philip C.N. Chiu
Tao Zhang
Yong-Gang Duan
author_sort Qunxiong Zeng
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is linked to male fertility disorders, yet the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis remains underexplored. Here, we investigated how dysbiosis contributes to autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a colitis mouse model induced by CD4+ T cell transfer. We transferred wild-type CD4+ T cells into male Rag1−/− mice, with some groups pretreated with antibiotics or receiving Il-17a−/− or Ccr6−/− CD4+ T cells. Through gut microbiota profiling, histopathology evaluation, immune cell infiltration assessments in the reproductive tissues, and sperm analysis, we observed severe gut dysbiosis, colon inflammation, and reproductive impairments characterized by leukocyte infiltration in mice transferred with wild-type T cells. Interestingly, these impairments were mitigated in groups pretreated with antibiotics or receiving Il-17a−/− cells but not Ccr6−/− CD4+ T cells. These findings highlight that gut microbiota dysbiosis can initiate Th17 cell-mediated reproductive disorders, offering insights for potential therapeutic interventions in IBD-related male infertility.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2589-0042
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series iScience
spelling doaj-art-c189af66b00748deb2181e97bb8fc2132025-08-20T03:48:47ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422025-05-0128511250810.1016/j.isci.2025.112508Gut microbiota-driven pathogenic Th17 cells mediated autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a mouse model of colitisQunxiong Zeng0Jin-Chuan Liu1Chen Yang2Minmin Lyu3Dongliang Li4William S.B. Yeung5Philip C.N. Chiu6Tao Zhang7Yong-Gang Duan8Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, ChinaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Corresponding authorShenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China; Corresponding authorSummary: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is linked to male fertility disorders, yet the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis remains underexplored. Here, we investigated how dysbiosis contributes to autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a colitis mouse model induced by CD4+ T cell transfer. We transferred wild-type CD4+ T cells into male Rag1−/− mice, with some groups pretreated with antibiotics or receiving Il-17a−/− or Ccr6−/− CD4+ T cells. Through gut microbiota profiling, histopathology evaluation, immune cell infiltration assessments in the reproductive tissues, and sperm analysis, we observed severe gut dysbiosis, colon inflammation, and reproductive impairments characterized by leukocyte infiltration in mice transferred with wild-type T cells. Interestingly, these impairments were mitigated in groups pretreated with antibiotics or receiving Il-17a−/− cells but not Ccr6−/− CD4+ T cells. These findings highlight that gut microbiota dysbiosis can initiate Th17 cell-mediated reproductive disorders, offering insights for potential therapeutic interventions in IBD-related male infertility.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225007692Biological sciencesImmunologyImmune systemImmune responseMicrobiology
spellingShingle Qunxiong Zeng
Jin-Chuan Liu
Chen Yang
Minmin Lyu
Dongliang Li
William S.B. Yeung
Philip C.N. Chiu
Tao Zhang
Yong-Gang Duan
Gut microbiota-driven pathogenic Th17 cells mediated autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a mouse model of colitis
iScience
Biological sciences
Immunology
Immune system
Immune response
Microbiology
title Gut microbiota-driven pathogenic Th17 cells mediated autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a mouse model of colitis
title_full Gut microbiota-driven pathogenic Th17 cells mediated autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a mouse model of colitis
title_fullStr Gut microbiota-driven pathogenic Th17 cells mediated autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a mouse model of colitis
title_full_unstemmed Gut microbiota-driven pathogenic Th17 cells mediated autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a mouse model of colitis
title_short Gut microbiota-driven pathogenic Th17 cells mediated autoimmune epididymo-orchitis in a mouse model of colitis
title_sort gut microbiota driven pathogenic th17 cells mediated autoimmune epididymo orchitis in a mouse model of colitis
topic Biological sciences
Immunology
Immune system
Immune response
Microbiology
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225007692
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